Daily Slideshow: This Legendary 1974 911 RSR Turbo is Up For Grabs!

It's more than a classic race car... it's an investment. Well, at least you can tell your significant other and financial advisor that.

By Sarah Portia - February 13, 2018

One for the ages

If there was ever a time to start scrounging around for extra change and reverse mortgaging your house, it is now. One of the most beautiful, legendary race cars that have ever graced this great planet is up for sale, the 1974 911 RSR 2.1 Turbo. If by chance you aren't familiar with why this car is so damn special and has us wishing that we owned a forgotten stash of cryptocurrency, then let's get into it.

The mother of all turbo 911

The RSR was the first turbocharged racing 911 that took part in the FIA's Group 5 category for the 1974 World Championship and came in overall 2nd place at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This whale tail monster is one of only four that were built to race in the extremely difficult Marche World Championship. This R13 chassis was the most successful of the turbocharged quartet in the capable hands of Herbert Müller and Gijs van Lennep. Soon after, it was sold to legendary Porsche importer Vasek Polak, who had been one of the driving forces behind the brand's hugely successful Can-Am campaign. It was subsequently owned by the late Matt Drendel and has since been acquired at auction by a prominent London-based collector and historic racer.

They don't make them like this anymore

The RSR was a race car that was born in the era of unabashed motorsports. A time when nothing short of bankruptcy could get in the way of performance progress and winning. The engine in the car had a magnesium crankcase, polished-titanium connecting rods, large-capacity oil pumps, a twin-plug ignition, Bosch mechanical fuel injection, and sodium-cooled intake valves. To comply with FIA regulations, Porsche had to make the engine smaller than 3.0-liters so they went with a 2.14-liter flat six. However, this is Porsche. So the automaker took that engine and then bolted a melon-sized KKK turbocharger onto it resulting in 500bhp. That boosted engine was then mated to a five-speed transaxle gearbox that was modified with an oil cooler, an 80% locking differential, and a 917-type half-shafts for upgraded durability.

Throw some boost on it

The engine was a small 2,142 cc and sitting inside of a lightweight body shell that tipped the scales at just 1,763 pounds! With numbers like that for curb weight, the performance coming from the car put the lithe coupe at 0-62mph in 3.2 seconds and 0-124mph at 8.8 seconds. To keep everything planted on the track where it belonged, Porsche mounted a ginormous rear wing onto the rear of the car and used rudimentary aerodynamics on the body such as NACA ducts. The torsion bar that was found on the production 911 at the time was replaced with boxed aluminum trailing arms, progressive rate titanium coil springs, Bilstein shock absorbers and anti-roll bars. To make sure the car could go the distance at Le Mans, it was fitted with a thirst quenching 120-liter fuel tank behind the seat. Yes, right behind the driver. The oil tank was relocated right to the front of the car to offset the engine weight and balance the vehicle.

To the highest bidder

This RSR is estimated to fetch $10.5 million when it goes under the hammer at the Amelia Island auction in Florida on March 9th. The Martini and Rossi livery alone is almost worth that price tag so don't be surprised if the actual selling price exceeds those estimates by a decent amount.